KHYBER: Security officials have asked the residents of bordering Loe Shalman area in Landi Kotal to surrender heavy weapons with local police and security forces within a month as complete peace has now been established in the region.

The residents were further advised to get their unlicenced weapons, which they had kept for personal protection, registered with the local police forthwith.

These decisions were made at a meeting of administrative and security officials with Loe Shalman elders in Loe Shalman wherein the overall security situation on the Pak-Afghan border also came under discussion.

The elders were, however, warned of necessary legal action if they failed to comply with the official orders till June 25.

Officials insist peace has been restored in region

They were given a firm assurance about security of the border region and told that cooperation between the security forces and local people would ensure and strengthen peace in the region.

The people were also asked to extend full support to the health authorities and local administration in anti-polio campaign while ensuring that every child under five years of age was administered polio drops.

JAMRUD ELDERS DEMAND: Tribal elders and elected councillors have threatened to stage a protest sit-in at Bab-i-Khyber if the district administration failed to pay them compensation for the land the administration had acquired for construction of government buildings in Jamrud.

Addressing a press conference in Jamrud Press Club on Wednesday, the elders and councillors argued that the administration had imposed Section 4 on about 1,700 canals of collective land property of Katiyakhel tribe in Besai-Shah Kas locality a few months ago, but was now using delaying tactics in paying them compensation for the acquired land.

They claimed that the provincial government had already allocated funds for distribution among Katiyakhel tribe as compensation, but the district administration was delaying its distribution.

They suggested that the funds should be distributed equitably among the affected families through the councillors and warned that a protest sit-in would be staged in Peshawar if their demand was not accepted.

Published in Dawn, May 26th, 2022